Each of the past two girls basketball seasons, Huron High School has beaten rival Pioneer three times. Twice each regular season, and a third time in districts.

Huron has been the local powerhouse recently, winning two straight district titles and compiling a 41-7 record. And the River Rats have their sights set on another playoff run this season.

Pioneer, however, has other ideas.

The teams are in the same Class A district tournament once again this season, and Pioneer has what looks to be its best team in years — the type that could make a lot of noise in the state tournament. If they can get past Huron, that is.

The fact that the cross-town rivals stand in one another’s way is not lost on the two teams.

“It’s definitely not another game on our schedule,” Huron coach Steve Vinson said of playing the Pioneers. “You would like to approach it that way, but that’s just coach speak. The kids get up for it and prepared for it.”

Pioneer coach Crystal Westfield said her team doesn’t get hung up worrying about the River Rats, but she knows that Huron ultimately stands in the way of her team reaching its goals.

“The bigger picture is winning districts and making a tournament run,” said Westfield. “We have one of the toughest districts in the state. We just want to get out of the district. But, to do that, you have to get by Huron.”

Vinson, too, knows his team will have its hands full should they face Pioneer in districts once again this season.

“We know that regardless of what happens in the regular season, the district is another animal. It’s a different game and different mentality,” Vinson said.

The River Rats will have a lot of work to do in order to get back to the level they have been playing at in years past. Gone are Huron’s top two scorers from last year in AnnArbor.com Player of the Year DeVonyea Johnson and Dream Team member Charlise Slater. The River Rats’ lone returning starter is senior post player Kelcy Barott.

Senior Brionna Kilgore takes over the reins at point guard and junior guard Devin Talley is a talented player who should be able to fill the scoring void left by Johnson. Logan Sims, a junior center, transferred to Huron from Father Gabriel Richard and should also contribute.

The Pioneers, meanwhile, return their top two scorers from last year in slasher Kamilah Carter (13.3 points per game) and post presence Maya Richmond (9.7 points, 9.3 rebounds per game). But the Pioneers’ biggest asset may be their continuity.

Pioneer has seven players back from last year’s team, and many of them have been playing together as far back as middle school.

“Athletically, this is one of the better teams I’ve had in quite a few years,” Westfield said. “We’re going to do some things we haven’t done in past years.”

Huron will have work to do to develop their own floor chemistry and continuity, but that doesn’t mean Vinson is looking at this as a rebuilding year and hopes to be ready for another run by the time March rolls around.

Just in time for a district showdown with Pioneer.